Yam Porridge (Yam Po’) is one of those meals i looked forward to as a child and as a teenager in boarding school.  I loved it for the following reasons:

1. Yam is filling
2. The soft velvety texture of freshly cooked Yam Po, especially if made with New yam is just a mouth celebration!
3. The way my mother cooked Yam Po with spinach, made it a very colorful and appealing dish.
4. Yam Po can be eaten as  breakfast, lunch, dinner, and is a party favorite as well!
5. This dish is child friendly. Especially this mashed version which my SO loves.
6. Yam Po is one of the most forgiving recipes i know.

You will Need:

• A small tuber of yam ( about 14 inches in lenght)
• 4 large red bell peppers
• 1 scotch bonnet pepper
• 1 large red onion
• 1 cup of crushed tomatoes (I used Pomi)
• 1/4 cup of EVOO
• 2 cubes of chicken bouillion (I used Knorr)
• 1 tbsp group crayfish or powdered shrimps
• 3-4 cups of water
• 3 cups of chopped spinach
• 2 cups of deboned smoked or dried fish (any type of fish will work.)
• 1 tsp salt

** This dish is traditionally made with palmoil, but this recipe replaces the palmoil with EVOO and the red bell peppers for color.**

Method of preparation

1. Peel and cut the yam into bite sized cubes.
2. Wash peeled yam, thoroughly and transfer to a non-stick cooking pot.
3. Add two cup of water to the cooking pot containing yams, then set aside.
4. Chop, and blend the peppers, onions with half cup of water until smooth.
5. Pour blended mixture, EVOO, tomatoes, cubes, salt, crayfish, and fish into the cooking pot.
6. Add half a cup of water to the pot and then cook with pot covered for about 15 mins.
7. The yam should be soft and the porridge thickened after 15 mins.
8. Now begin to mash the yam using a wooden spoon
9. Continue mashing with the stove still on, until the porridge is smooth or lumpy enough to your taste. ( i like mine more lumpy than smooth)
10. Add the frozen spinach, stir  to distribute spinach evenly, and then leave to cook for about 5 more minutes
11. Add more water while cooking if you prefer a thinner porridge.
12. After 5 minutes of adding the spinach, Yam is ready for immediate consumption.

Enjoy with:

• Boiled or Fried Eggs
• Fish
• Chicken, or Steak.

Oya come chop 🙂